Clam-shell bucket and operating mechanism.



No. 696,444. Patented Apr. I, I902. F. E. HULETT. CLAM SHELL BUCKET ANDOPERATING MECHANISM.

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No. 696,444; Paten ted Apr. I, I902. F. E. HULETT.

CLAM SHELL BUCKET AND OPERATING MECHANISM.

( p lication filed Mar. 23, 1901 (N0 Model.)

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F. E. HULETT.

CLAM SHELL BUCKET AND OPERATING MECHANISM.

(Application filed Mar. 23, 1 901.)

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FRANK E. HULETT, or CLEVELAND, OHIO.

CLAiVl-SHIELL BUCKET AND OPERATING MECHANISM.

SPEOIFIGATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 696,44 dated April 1,1902.

Application filed March 23, 1901. Serial No. 52,535. (No model.)

the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itpertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a combinedclam-shell bucket and operating mechanism therefor especially adaptedfor handling iron ore and similar material.

The object of my invention is to provide a combined bucket and operatingmechanism therefor which will be powerful, easily handled, and capableof being operated without unprofitable expenditure of energy.

My invention therefore consists in providing new andimproved means forsuspending and transmitting power to the scoops constituting therespective halves of the bucket, whereby the excavating power of thebucket is greatly increased and the scoops while excavating willconstantly be in an advantageous position for entering the material tobe excavated,thus necessitating an expenditure of energy butslightly inexcess of what is actually needed to drive the scoops through'thematerial being excavated.

My invention further consists in the fea tures of construct-ion andcombinations of parts hereinafter described in the specification,illustrated in the drawings, and pointed out in the claims.

The class ofdevices to which myinvention particularly relates isdesigned for handling coal, ore, and otherheavy material, and as incommon use at present the bucket proper generally comprises two scoopsadapted to form a single receptacle when their cutting edges are broughtinto contact. These scoops are so suspended from the framework carryingthe operating mechanism that when the front or cutting edges of thescoops enter the material to be excavated the bottoms of the scoops areoften elevated at such an angle that the excavated material is preventedfrom passing up into the respective scoops and is actually compressedbetween the forward ends of the opposing bottoms of the respectivescoops as they approach each other. In order to close the bucket,sufficient power must be exerted to force the material in the front endsof the scoops up the inclined bottoms. The closing operation thusinvolves a compressing and shifting of a portion of the load taken intothe bucket, causing a waste ful expenditure of energy and frequently resulting in injury to the operating mechanism. Therefore with the bucketsnow in common use the operating mechanism must not only be powerfulenough to force the scoops through the material being excavated, butmustalso have sufficient strength to compress or displace a portion of theload in the front part of the scoops and force it up into the rear partsthereof. By my invention I suspend the respective scoops and connectthem with the operating mechanism in such a manner that the rear portionof each scoop is caused to travel more rapidly than the front portionwhen the bucket is being operated-that is, the aggre gate movement ofthe rear portion of each scoop will be greater than the aggregatemovement of the front portion, so that when the bucket begins to closethe rear portions of the scoops swing rapidly out and down, causing thebottoms of the scoops to enter the material at an advantageous angle forpenetrating the same. As the bucket continues to close the said angle ofpenetration is constantly reduced until the bottoms of the scoops assumea practically horizontal position. The material excavated readily passesinto the back part of the respective scoops, and the final closingoperation does not involveany compressing or displacing of the load inthe bucket.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I shows a side elevation of mycombined bucket and operating mechanism therefor. Fig. II shows asideelevation of myimproved bucket and operating mechanism therefor with thebucket open. Fig. III shows an end elevation with the bucket closed.Fig. IV shows a top plan with the bucket closed.

Referring to the drawings, a represents the framework for supporting thebucket and operating mechanism, which preferably comprises twoapproximately triangular side t and u.

plates at and a secured together by braces or cross-bars a a, a and a",respectively. A shaft 1) is mounted centrally in the framework a, sothat its ends project beyond the side plates a and a On the shaft Z)within the framework are rigidly keyed two powerwheels (1 and 6,respectively. These powerwheels have cable-grooves Z) and 19 formed intheir respective faces. On the ends of the shafts 1) without theframework are rigidly keyed two small drums d and 6. On each side of theshaft 11 is mounted a shaftf and g, respectively, so that the endsthereof project beyond the framework. On the projecting ends of the saidshaftsfand g are mounted segmental cam-wheels f, f g, and grespectively. The faces of these cam-wheels are provided withcable-grooves f f, 9 and g, respectively.

In the upper part of the framework a are mounted two parallel shafts hand Z. Loosely mounted on the shaft 72, are three pulleys h, 77.2, and71 These pulleys are retained in their respective positions on the shafth by means of spacers 72.

Near the top of the framework 0., on the center line thereof, is mounteda shaft 01, directly over the shaft 1). To this shaft are rotatablysecured four arms r, r, s, and 3, respeetively. The arms 1' and s and rand s, respectively, lie on opposite sides of the shaft 12 between theframe and the cable-drum. These arms extend a short distance below thebottom of the framework a, and in the free ends thereof are formedsockets r 4' 3 and 3 respectively.

A bucket j is suspended immediately below the framework a and comprisestwo scoops Each scoop is practically rectangular in cross andlongitudinal section and has a flat bottom and straight cutting edge.The front end of the scoopt is suspended from the framework a by meansof a shaft t,

which passes through the sockets r and s in the lowerends of the arms rand 3, respectively. The rear end of the scoop is supported by a shaft twhich passes through the outer circumference of the cam-wheels f and f,respectively. The shaft 73 is preferably mounted in bearings formed inthe ears t and 15 respectively, secured to the rear end of the scoop.The scoop u. is suspended in a similar manner, being supported at itsfront end by the shaft M, which passes through the sockets r and 8formed in the ends of the arms 1' and s, respectively. The rear end ofthe scoop is suspended from the cam-wheels g and 9 respectively, bymeans of a shaft .10 mounted in bearings in the ears u and u.

d and e respectively represent the cables for operating the power-wheelsto close the bucket and are secured to and adapted to wind upon thepower-wheels d and 6, their free ends being carried up over the pulleysh and IL? in the top of the frame to one of the sheaves of ahoisting-engine or similar device.

represents a cable secured tothe drum d and the cam-wheel f.

it represents a cable secured to the drum d and the cam-wheel g.

70 represents a cable secured to the drum 6 and the cam-wheel f 70represents a cable secured to the drum 6 and the cam-wheel g 70 and 70represent cables, the lower ends of which are secured to the rear endsof the respective scoops t and 10, their free ends being carried up overthe pulleys 7L2 and Z, respectively, to another sheave of ahoistingengine, before mentioned.

When it is desired to open the bucket, the cables d and e are slackened,throwing the weight of the frame upon the cables k and 70 secured to thebacks of the respective scoops. The pull on the rear end of the scoopcauses them to swing apart, the rear portions traveling upwardly withtheir respective camwheels. As the cam-wheels rotate the cables areunwound from the drums d and a, respectively, rotating the power-wheelsd and e and winding the slack cables (1 and e in the cable-grooves b andb in the respective power-wheels. To close the bucket, the cables 70 andk are slackened and a strain is put upon the cables 01 and e ,'causing.the power-wheels d and e to rotate, winding up the cables secured to thecam-wheels f and g and f and 9 respectively, upon the drums d and e. Asthe cam-wheels rotate the rear portions of the scoops are carried outand down and the front port-ions swing toward each other on the arms 1'and s and r and s, respectively.

What I claim is 1. In a combined clam-shell bucket and operatingmechanism therefor, a frame, a powertransmitting mechanism mounted insaid frame, a scoop, a shaft mounted near the center line of said frame,a support rotatably suspended from said shaft and having its lower endsecured to the front end. of said scoop, a second shaft mounted belowthe firstmentioned shaft and ata greater distance from the center lineof the frame than the firstmentioned shaft, a support rotatablysuspended from said last-mentioned shaft and secured at its lower end tothe rear end of said scoop, and means for operatively connecting thepower-transmitting mechanism with said scoop.

2. In a combined clam-shell bucket and operating mechanism therefor, aframe, a powertransmitting mechanism mounted in said frame, two scoopslocated below said frame and adapted to form a single receptacle, ashaft mounted near the center line of said frame, supports suspendedfrom said shaft and connected at their lower ends with the front ends ofthe respective scoops, shafts mounted near the sides of said frame'belowthe first-mentioned shafts, supports suspended from said shafts andconnected at their lower ends with the rear ends of the respectivescoops, and means for connecting the respective scoops with thepower-transmitting mechanism.

3. In a combined clam-shell bucket and operating mechanism therefor, aframe, a powerwheel mounted in said frame, means for operating the saidwheel, a cam-wheel operatively connected to said power-Wheel, and ascoop, one end of said scoop being secured to and rotatably supported ata point on the outer circumference of said cam-wheel, and the other endbeing movably supported from the said frame.

4. In a combined clam-shell bucket and operating mechanism therefor, aframe, a powerwheel mountedin said frame, means for operating-the saidwheel, cam-Wheels, mounted on each side of saidpower-wheel,andoperatively connected with the said power-Wheel, and twoscoops adapted to form a single receptacle, the rear end of each of saidscoops being secured to and rotatably supported from i one of the saidcam-Wheels, and the front end of each scoop being movably supported fromthe said frame.

5. -In acombined clam-shell bucket and operating mechanism therefor,aframe, apowerwheel mounted in said frame, means for operating the saidwheel, a cam-wheel operatably connected to said power-wheel, and a scoophaving one end secured to and rotatively supported at a point on theouter circumference of the said cam-wheel, and having the other endsupported by. arms rota:

tablysecured in the said frame at a point above the said cam-wheel,substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a combined clam-shell bucket and operating mechanism therefor, aframe, a powertransmitting mechanism mounted in said frame, two camwheels, one of said camwheels being mounted at each side of said frameand operatively connected with the said power-transmittingmechanism, ascoop locatedbelow each cam-wheel and having its rear end. suspendedfrom a point on the outer circumference of the adjacent cam-wheel,andits front-end supported by arms rotatably secured in the saidframe at apoint above the said cam-Wheel, substantially as described and for thepurpose set forth.

shaft in said framework, the rear end of each scoop being supported froma shaft located in the said framework below the first-mentioned shaft,and not in the same vertical plane therewith, a power-wheel mounted insaid framework, and means for operatively connecting the said scoops andthe said powerwheel.

8. In a combined clam-shell bucket and operating mechanism therefor, aframe, a shaft rotatably mountedin said frame, a powerwheel rigidlymounted on said shaft, a hoisting-cable secured to said power-wheel, acable-drum rigidly mounted on the outer end of said shaft, a cam-wheelrotatably mounted in said frame, a cable operatively connecting saidcable-drum andsaid cam-Wheel, a shaft mounted insaid frame above thesaid powerwheel, a support rotatably suspended from said shaft, and ascoop secured at its rear end to said cam-wheel and at its front end tothe said support, substantially as described, and for the purposeset'forth. i

9. In a combined clam-shell bucket and operating mechanism therefor, aframe',a'powerwheel shaft rotatably mountedin said-framework, apowerewheel rigidly mounted on'said shaft, a hoisting-cable operativelysecured to said power-wheel,a cable-drum rigidly mounted on saidpower-wheel shaft, cam-wheels rotatably mounted insaid frameworkson eachside of said power-wheel shaft, cables con-- necting the said cable-drumandsaid camwheels, supports rotatably-secured in said framework abovethesaidpoWer-wheel shaft on each side thereof. and extendingdownbe lowthebottom of the said'frameworlgand a scoop operatively secured to therespective cam-Wheels and the respective supports on each side of thesaid power-wheel shaft.

Signed by me at Cleveland, Ohio, this 9th day of March, 1901.

FRANK E. I'IULETT.

l'Vitnesses:

VICTOR G. LYNCH, A. .II. PARRATT.

